The Passion and Pride of Mexican Soccer Fans May 28 2019, 0 Comments

By Julie R Butler

With the Liga MX Clausura 2019 wrapping up last week, the passion that Mexicans have forel juego bonito was once again on display. Saturday night’s semifinal was particularly emotional for the Tigres fans as well as the players, as they battled against los Rayados knowing that club legendOsvaldo Batocletti had passed away the previous day.

Sure, people around the world take great pride in their local and national sports teams. But Mexicans are world renowned for their fervor for fútbol.

El Tri: Connecting with Culture and Mexican-American Pride

What sets the Mexican men’s national soccer team apart from other national teams in terms of the size of the fanbase is the population of Mexican-Americans living in the States. Dan McCarney in San Antonio really put themassive popularity of El Tri in the United States in perspective when he reported:

“The Mexican-American population that backs El Tri so fervently would rank 38th among the world's 244 recognized countries and territories, not far behind Argentina (40 million) and Canada (35 million).”

The team’s biggest US-based fan group,Pancho Villa’s Army, has 5,000 members and over 30 chapters across the country. They even have corporate sponsors. It’s the connection with Mexican culture, along with a sense of family, that draws so many Mexican-Americans to become such devoted fans of El Tri, allowing them to be proud of their heritage while still being proud to be American.

Mexican Fútbol Fans Abroad Represent the Spirit of Mexico

While fútbol fans in Mexico and the United States are definitely a passionate bunch, it’s when they are abroad that they really show the true spirit of the tricolors.Mexicans were a big hit in Russia for the 2018 World Cup, with one Russian making the keen observation that “the Mexicans are having the most fun.” Whether it was the oversized sombreros, the bueno rollo mexicano, or the sheer number of devoted fans that flooded into Russia and overpowered rival supporters in the stands, Mexican fans captivated the world with theirdedication to their national fútbol team, the sport of soccer – and having fun!

JULIE R BUTLER IS A FREELANCE WRITER AND EDITOR LIVING IN PÁTZCUARO, MICHOACÁN. SHE HAS 20-PLUS YEARS' EXPERIENCE EXPLORING MÉXICO, CENTRAL AMERICA, ARGENTINA, AND URUGUAY. IN ADDITION TO WRITING ABOUT THE WONDERS OF LIVING IN MÉXICO, SHE SPECIALIZES NEW TECHNOLOGIES – PARTICULARLY, HYDROPONICS AND SMART-CITY TECH. ONLINE PORTFOLIO: HTTPS://JULIERBUTLER.CONTENTLY.COM/